Clarke Central High School science department teacher Dr. Debbie Mitchel and seniors Lillie Schulz, Elise Ochieng, Amanda Ochieng and Ashleigh Cummings pose at a CCHS FFA garden workday on Aug. 22. Schulz and a CCHS team are practicing for an Agricultural Communications Career Development Event on Oct. 27, where they will compete in agriculture-based journalistic writing events and represent CCHS. “We’re excited that we are the second most (racially) diverse program in the state of Georgia, and we feel very proud of that honor. With that being said, that gains a lot of national, as well as state recognition, as far as diversity and inclusion goes,” CCHS CTAE department teacher and FFA adviser Levi Carr said. Photo courtesy of Lillie Schulz
Despite the limitations of remote learning, the Clarke Central High School chapter of FFA anticipate a bountiful harvest of awards from competitions this month.
CCHS FFA President Lillie Schulz, a senior, will compete on a CCHS team for an Agricultural Communications Career Development Event via Zoom on Oct. 27, which combines agriculture with journalism, and, for Schulz, illustrates FFA’s range of activities.
“(Agriculture) is so much more than cow sales and plows. With something like Agricultural Communications, (where) there is lots of computer work involved, it feels good that we can say we are technologically advancing and moving (away from) the farm,” Schulz said.
“(Agriculture) is so much more than cow sales and plows. With something like Agricultural Communications, (where) there is lots of computer work involved, it feels good that we can say we are technologically advancing and moving (away from) the farm.”
— Lillie Schulz,
CCHS FFA President
CCHS CTAE department teacher and FFA adviser Levi Carr has facilitated preparation sessions for Agricultural Communications.
“We’ve been (practicing) via Zoom (and) simple phone calls to make sure that they’re really polished and comfortable with one another before competing together in this competition,” Carr said.
While Schulz has career plans in science, she feels the skills learned in Agricultural Communications will prove beneficial to her future.
“I want to be a pharmaceutical scientist, but writing is a very important life skill — you have to be able to write well to communicate well.” Schulz said. “I don’t have to be going into journalism or any kind of writing career to have it applied to my future.”
With six weeks at CCHS under his belt, Carr is enthusiastic about the motivation he sees in members so far, as they overcome the obstacles of the pandemic to participate in FFA.
“I have never been more excited a day in my life, regardless of (FFA) being virtual or in person. I can only imagine what we could accomplish if we were face to face,” Carr said. “I can’t wait to dig in because this is probably our busiest month ahead.”
